Neck-thru specific setup tips?

focusbob

focusbob

Jan 28, 2019
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#1
Hi! I recently bought a used Ibanez btb845v and am having a difficult time achieving reasonably low action without unreasonably loud fret buzz (across strings and from the middle frets to where the neck joins the body; the first and last few frets are buzz free).

I have been setting up my own instruments for at least a decade and usually have an easy time with it, but this one is making me sweat! Do any setup procedures or tips differ for neck-thru instruments? This is my first neck-thru...

For example, to set relief, I typically slap a capo across the 1st fret, depress with my finger the fret where the neck joins the body, and measure the gap in between with feeler gauges, noting the largest gap across frets as my relief measurement. With this bass, the neck joins the body at a very high fret and I'm wondering if that is throwing me off. It sure seems like a relief issue but I've tried adjusting the neck all ways (the truss rod seems to work fine) and the buzz doesn't get much better. Any advice would be most welcome! Thanks ☺️
 
#2
focusbob said:
Hi! I recently bought a used Ibanez btb845v and am having a difficult time achieving reasonably low action without unreasonably loud fret buzz (across strings and from the middle frets to where the neck joins the body; the first and last few frets are buzz free).

I have been setting up my own instruments for at least a decade and usually have an easy time with it, but this one is making me sweat! Do any setup procedures or tips differ for neck-thru instruments? This is my first neck-thru...

For example, to set relief, I typically slap a capo across the 1st fret, depress with my finger the fret where the neck joins the body, and measure the gap in between with feeler gauges, noting the largest gap across frets as my relief measurement. With this bass, the neck joins the body at a very high fret and I'm wondering if that is throwing me off. It sure seems like a relief issue but I've tried adjusting the neck all ways (the truss rod seems to work fine) and the buzz doesn't get much better. Any advice would be most welcome! Thanks ☺️
Click to expand...

One detail I left out: strings are a fresh set of dr hi beams, with .105 on bottom (i.e., 6 string set minus the low B). Standard tuning (E to c).
 
#3
Are you bottomed out on your saddles?
My NT warwick 5 requires a little more relief than my other basses but i was able to compensate by lowering my sales a tad more without extra buzzing on the upper neck.
General rule of thumb is frets 1-7 are relief and 8 - higher is saddles.
 
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#4
Good question...I'm not sure I'd deviate from the more standard approaches. For example, I'd capo the 1st, depress on top of the 17th and measure the gap at the 8th. There are variations on the theme including 1st & 15th. Curious as to your resulting measurements.

Riis
 
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#6
lokikallas said:
Are your frets level?
Click to expand...
I can't say I know at present...
I have usually operated under the assumption that if a dozen frets are buzzing all in a row in a particular part of the neck across all strings, the issue is unlikely to be unleveled frets, but I can't say I'm very confident in that assumption...
 
#7
ThomasTronics said:
Are you bottomed out on your saddles?
My NT warwick 5 requires a little more relief than my other basses but i was able to compensate by lowering my sales a tad more without extra buzzing on the upper neck.
General rule of thumb is frets 1-7 are relief and 8 - higher is saddles.
Click to expand...

My saddles are not bottomed out. I may have to come to terms with the bass "needing more relief" than most, but, I am now very curious as to what determines how much relief a bass needs (other than fretboard radius, this one's pretty flat so that shouldn't be it)?
 
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#8
On instruments that I want to use the 7th through 20th fret a ton (which usually means I also want super low action top to bottom), I first set the action with a capo at the tenth fret. Get that upper range feeling nice.

Then I attack the relief and I stick to capoing at the 1st and having the higher string stop be at the 14th fret regardless of where the neck joint is. 95% of the time it works every time. If it’s still feeling closer to a truck than a sportscar, the nut is usually the issue.

It’s really rare for Ibanez to send a bass out with high nut slots, but it’s not unheard of. Go through it one more time. If it’s still not breathing clearly, bring it to a pro and be ready to spend on a fret leveling and nut deepening.
 
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#9
MattZilla said:
On instruments that I want to use the 7th through 20th fret a ton (which usually means I also want super low action top to bottom), I first set the action with a capo at the tenth fret. Get that upper range feeling nice.

Then I attack the relief and I stick to capoing at the 1st and having the higher string stop be at the 14th fret regardless of where the neck joint is. 95% of the time it works every time. If it’s still feeling closer to a truck than a sportscar, the nut is usually the issue.

It’s really rare for Ibanez to send a bass out with high nut slots, but it’s not unheard of. Go through it one more time. If it’s still not breathing clearly, bring it to a pro and be ready to spend on a fret leveling and nut deepening.
Click to expand...

Thanks, this is helpful! (It has a zero fret, so I don't think the nut is relevant.)
 
#11
Jazzdogg said:
Have you checked the neck for straightness/consistent relief?

That's usually one of the first things I check, with an accurate straight edge, before adjusting the bridge or nut.
Click to expand...

I have only checked for straightness using the capo method detailed above. Do you use a slotted straightedge or a non slotted one?
 
#12
Over the years I've owned Alembics and more than a few 80's neck through Yamaha BB's. Over time, they adjusted the same as any other bass (though, like a Ric, the Alembics ran two truss rods).

My standard setup for them was first-fret capo, string held down at the neck body joint on the bass side, then work to .012" at the seventh fret, 5/64" clearance over the last fret (with the strings free, not held down), and 1/4" clearance over the pickups (with the strings pressed down at the last fret).

This was my standard setup. I prefer having numbers to work towards. They'd all at least run this, one of the Alembics would go down to .009 or .010, as 'straight' as I could handle.

It's also vitally important to work the steps in order:

Relief
Action (string clearance at last fret)
Intonation (only with new strings)
Pickup clearance
Nut clearance (unfretted, .020" string clearance over first fret)

The only mod to this was to set relief on the bass side truss rod, then the treble side truss rod on the Alembics with their double truss rods.

I certainly lived to prove to mix these up, or incomplete one and jump ahead or back, you can chase your tail big-time and probably make things worse.

Best of Luck,

JW
 
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#13
J Wilson said:
Over the years I've owned Alembics and more than a few 80's neck through Yamaha BB's. Over time, they adjusted the same as any other bass (though, like a Ric, the Alembics ran two truss rods).

My standard setup for them was first-fret capo, string held down at the neck body joint on the bass side, then work to .012" at the seventh fret, 5/64" clearance over the last fret (with the strings free, not held down), and 1/4" clearance over the pickups (with the strings pressed down at the last fret).

This was my standard setup. I prefer having numbers to work towards. They'd all at least run this, one of the Alembics would go down to .009 or .010, as 'straight' as I could handle.

It's also vitally important to work the steps in order:

Relief
Action (string clearance at last fret)
Intonation (only with new strings)
Pickup clearance
Nut clearance (unfretted, .020" string clearance over first fret)

The only mod to this was to set relief on the bass side truss rod, then the treble side truss rod on the Alembics with their double truss rods.

I certainly lived to prove to mix these up, or incomplete one and jump ahead or back, you can chase your tail big-time and probably make things worse.

Best of Luck,

JW
Click to expand...

Thanks man, that's super helpful. I'll be back with it on Monday and look forward to trying this procedure.
 
#14
focusbob said:
My saddles are not bottomed out. I may have to come to terms with the bass "needing more relief" than most, but, I am now very curious as to what determines how much relief a bass needs (other than fretboard radius, this one's pretty flat so that shouldn't be it)?
Click to expand...

Depends on your definition of "flat". The fingerboard needs enough relief to accommodate the arc of a vibrating string. Using my method, how much relief do you have on board?

Riis
 
#15
Zooberwerx said:
Depends on your definition of "flat". The fingerboard needs enough relief to accommodate the arc of a vibrating string. Using my method, how much relief do you have on board?

Riis
Click to expand...

Oh, I meant flat as opposed to radiused (because more radiused fretboards typically require more relief); just talking about the fretboard, not relief. I'll be reunited with it Monday and will report back on neck adjustments/measurements!
 
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#17
#18
focusbob said:
If you look at the Fender setup guide (just to take one example), there are different target specs for action and relief by fretboard radius. Why is this the case? Can't say I know exactly.

How do I set up my bass guitar properly? · Customer Self-Service
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I never consider fingerboard radius when doing setups on my instruments, be they basses or guitars, regardless of brand and radius. Whatever works for each of us is best, so long as we are happy with the results.
 
#19
focusbob said:
If you look at the Fender setup guide (just to take one example), there are different target specs for action and relief by fretboard radius. Why is this the case? Can't say I know exactly.

How do I set up my bass guitar properly? · Customer Self-Service
Click to expand...

That's mostly to fit different playing styles. Some bassists play mostly old-style, fewer notes, plucking hard. They will usually prefer a classic Fender with a rounder 7 1/4" radius fingerboard, and the action and relief set in the medium range. The rounder fingerboard and higher action make it easier to pluck harder.

Other bassists play in a more modern style, faster notes, plucking gently. They will usually choose a Fender with a 9" or 12" radius, and like it set up with lower action and relief. For faster right hand technique.

So, Fender recommends those setups based on what they know that the customers who choose those basses usually want.
 
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